The spiritual conflict writen in Italian by a deuout seruant of God ; and lately translated into English out of the same language.

Of the manner how to fight a∣gainst the sinne of the flesh.

Chap. 11. (Book 11)

AGainst this vice thou must fight with particu∣lar, and different meanes, from other vises, therfore thou must haue regard vnto three times, that is to say: before we be tempted; when we are temp∣ted; and after that the tempta∣tion is past.

Before the temptation, thou must not striue with the vice of the fleshe, but with the causes from which it proceedes.

First, wherfore thou must flie all conuersation (which is neuer so little daungerous) as

much as thou canst, enforcing thee not to shew familiariti, or vtter words of affection, but with a modest grauitie, brief∣ly to deale so farre as necessitie shall require.

Secondly thou must flie i∣dlenesse, and keepe thy selfe euer busied with thoughtes and workes, agreeable to thy vocation.

Thirdly, neuer resist the will of thy superiors, but yeeld thy selfe, and execute al things which they shall commaund thee.

Fourthly, neuer iudge rash∣ly of thy neighbor, especially concerning this vice; but if he should apparantly fal, yet haue compassion vpon him, disdain him not, despise him not, but

gather the fruite of humilitie, debase thy self euen vnto dust and tremble at thy selfe, and with prayer draw nearer vnto God: for if thou be ready to iudge and despise others, God will correct thee, (but to thy cost) by permitting thee to fall into the same vice, that by this meanes thou maist know thy pride, and beeing humbled, thou maist procure remedie, both to this and that, or if thou do not fal, it may neuerthelesse be doubted in what slate thou standest.

Fiftly and last, thou shalt take heed that when thou fee∣lest aboundance of spirituall delights, thou do not vainely please thy selfe: as being per∣swaded that thou art worthy

of some account, and that thy enemies are no more to assaile thee.

In the time of temptation, consider first, whether it pro∣ceede of an externall, or inter∣nall cause: externall I meane the conuersation and speeches which may stirre vp this vice: and the remedie thereof is, to flie, as I said before.

The inward cause procee∣deth, either of the lustinesse of body, or of the thoghts of the mind, which come by our euil habites, or by sugestion of the diuell.

Touching the first, it is needeful to chastice the body, with fasting, and disciplines, hairecloth, watchings, and o∣therlike austerity, as discretion

and obedience shall appoint thee.

Concerning thy thoughts, the remedies are, Meditation, Prayer, and to occupy thy self in sundrie exercises, conueni∣ent for thy estate.

I wold not haue thy meditati∣on to be about certain points, which many bookes set forth for remedie of this temptati∣on, which are to consider the vilenesse of such a vice, the in∣satiablenesse, the discontent∣ment, the punishment, the daungers, the consuming of goods, of life, of honor, and e∣ternall damnation: for that is not alwayes a secure meane to ouercome the temptation; the true remedy being to flie alto∣gither, not onely from those

thoughts themselues, but also from euery thing that repre∣sents those thoughts, although they bee neuer so contrarie to the same, for although the vn∣derstanding by one way driue them away, yet by another it giueth occasion and danger of delight.

Therefore thy meditation for this matter ought to be vp∣on the life and passion of our Sauiour. And if in this medi∣tation against thy will, these thoughts come into thy mind, and more then they are wonte molest thee (as assuredly som∣times it will happen) yet for all that bee not discouraged, nor leaue thy meditation, no not to resist them: turne not thy self in any sort to them, but

follow thy Meditation atten∣tiuely, not esteeming at al those thoughts, as if they were not thine, this is the true way to re∣sist them, althogh thou shoul∣dest find thy selfe continually assaulted with them; neither e∣uer dispute with such thoghts, whether thou haue consented to them or no, for this is a de∣ceit of the diuell, vnder pre∣tence of good, especially see∣ing that when thou art quiet afterward, and by the counsell of thy spirituall Father thou maist know the truth. And see that alwayes thou faithfully discouer to thy ghostly father euery thought, and be not a∣shamed; for if against al our e∣nemies we had need of humi∣litie to ouercome them, in this

we haue more need, then in a∣ny other whatsoeuer.

Concerning praier for this effect, it must be made with often lifting vppe thy mind to God, with virtuall intentiō to pray for victory ouer this vice, wythout turning thy thought actually vnto it, for that is a dangerous thing: and let this suffize thee now for thy de∣fence in the time of temptati∣on.

That which thou hast to doe when the temptation is past, is this, although thou seeme neuer so free, and secure to thy selfe: yet that thou stand aloofe, and not so much as euer remēber those obiects which did cause the temptati∣on, although for some respects

of vertue, or som other good, thou feele thy selfe moued to doe otherwise, for this is a deceit of our vitious na∣ture, and a snare of the diuell.